Peters



(No Model.)

I. T. WOOD.

v COMBINED POLE AND SHAPTS. f No. 349,292 Patented Sept. 14, I886.

cur/MM @m/gg g UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IR ING T. '\VOOD, OF CLYDE, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO J. J. GEIGER, OF SAME PLACE.

COMBINED POLE AND SHAFTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 349,292, dated September 14, 1886.

Application filed August 5, 1886.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, IRVING T. W'OOD, of Clyde, in the county of Sandusky and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Combined Pole and Shafts;

andl. dohcreby declare the following to be afull,

clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in combined poles and shafts; and it consists in the combination of the bar which is secured to' the axle by means of a suitable coupling, the slide caps to which the shafts are attached, and which can be adjusted back and forth upon the bar, the braces which are used to assist in holding the rear ends of the shafts in position, the sliding piece to which the whiffletree or double-tree is attached, and the casting which is secured upon the top of the bar, and through which the \vhiffletreeslide passes, all of which will be more fully described hereinafter.

The object of my invention is to make the shafts adjustable, so that they can be moved together at the center of the bar to which they are attached, and thus form a pole, and which can be adjusted outward so as to form an ordinary pair of thills or shafts, as may be desired.

Figure l is a plan view showingthe shafts moved together in order to form a pole. Fig. 2 is a perspective of one of the shafts attached to the bar. Fig. 3 is a plan View showing the two shafts adjusted in position so as to form an ordinary pair of thills. Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views.

A represents an angular rod or bar, and which is provided with a suitable coupling,X, at each end to connect to the axle in the'usual manner. Upon this bar the two shafts F are placed, and which shafts are adjusted back and forth according as to whether they are to be used as a pole or an ordinary pair of thills, as shown in Fig.

Secured to the rear end of each of the shafts F is a metallic slide or casting, B,which has an opening through its rear end for the bar A to pass through, and which. is provided with a Serial No. 210.058. (No model.)

clamping-screw, H, which passes through its rear end, so as to bear against the rear side of the bar A,and thus hold the slide B in any de sired position. The front end of the slide 13 is made pronged, as shown, so as to receive the rear end of the thills, and which thills have their rear ends connected to the slides by means of a suitable number of bolts.

Near the center of the bar A is secured the casting C, which has a flange formed upon its lower edge, so as to catch over the front edge of the bar A, and which is rigidly secured in place by suitable bolts. Through the center of the upper portion of this casting C is made an opening, through which the slide E is ad justcd back and forth, the slide being held in any desired position by means of the set-screw J Upon the front end of this slide is pivoted the single-tree when the shafts are used, orthe double-tree when the pole is used. WVhen the two shafts F are moved together so as to form a pole, as shown in Fig. 1, their rear ends bear against opposite sides of the grooved casting C, and then the slideEis forced backward, as sh own in Fig. 1. \Vhile the shafts are in the position shown in Fig. 1 they are held rigidly in place both by the set-screws H, whi ch clamp the rear edge of the bars A, and by the braces D,which are connected at one end to the bar A and at the other to the shafts, as shown. When. the shafts are to be used, as shown in Fig. 3, the slides B are forced outward upon the bar A, and secured in any desired position by the set screws H, and then the slide E is moved forward through the casting C, and the two braces D are connected at their inner ends to this slide E, and at their outer ends to the shafts F. The single-tree is pivoted upon the front end of the slide E. \Vhile the two sh afis are moved together so as to form a pole, as shown in Fig. 1, the ring G, provided with a hook, is passed over their front ends, so as to bind them rigidly together. This hook serves as a bearing for the neck-yoke. By making the slide D adjustable back and forth through the casting C it is adapted to be used either with a single or double tree, as may be desired. \Vhen the shafts are connected together so as to form a pole, there is but a slight space left between their inner ends, and this slide must be adjusted backward, for the doubletrce must be adjusted farther back than is necessary for the single-tree alone.

By means ol'the construction above described an ordinary pair of shafts can be converted into a pole at any time, and Without the necessity of removing them from the vehicle, thus enabling one or two horses to be hitched to a vehicle, as may be desired.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. The combination of the bar A, the shafts secured at their rear ends to the slides P, the set-screws H, the braces D, the casting O, and the slide E, substantially as shown.

2. The combination of the casting G, secured to the bar A at its center, the adjustable slide E,and a clampiiig-screw for holding it in position, the slide E being adapted to have the illner ends of the braces connected to it, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the bar A, the shafts F,having their rear ends so shaped as to bear against opposite sides of the casting C, the braces D, which are connected at their inner ends to the shafts, and to the bar A at their outer ones, and the slide E, the slide E being made adjustable and adapted to have the double-tree conncctml thereto, substantially as setforth.

In testimony whereof I allix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

IRVING T. \VOOI).

\Vitnesses:

A. 13. CRoeKu'r'r, J. J. (ll-noun. 

